Something True Read Online Free

girlfriend. But True was fun to flirt with. There was something about her that just intrigued me.
    Maybe it was the fact that the first time I’d ever laid eyes on her, she’d already laid her lips on me. It was a case of mistaken identity in the end, but a kiss from her wasn’t the worst way to start my first day at my new school.
    Greg grabbed a set of keys off the hook near the door. His mom was in the kitchen, with a huge breakfast of pancakes, sausage, eggs, and hash browns laid out. Greg’s little brother, Billy, and a couple of the guys who worked the farm were sitting there, chowing down. My stomach grumbled.
    “You kids want anything before you go?” Greg’s mom asked with a smile. She was always smiling. Which was one of the reasons I liked hanging out at Greg’s. Most of my friends were on the football team, and they lived in these big houses closer to town with parents who were either never around—like mine—or always seemed stressed out. I’d met Greg when I joined yearbook as a writer, and we’d gotten to talking and sort of hit it off. I liked that his family was old-school and his house was like something out of a black-and-white movie. There was something about it that was comforting and familiar. Which made no sense, since my house was totally modern.
    “Maybe a couple for the road,” Greg said, kissing his mother’s cheek.
    He snagged some pancakes and tossed me one, then took a few sausages as well.
    “Heathen,” his mom joked. “At least take some napkins.”
    “Thanks, Mrs. H!” I said, reaching over Billy’s back for the napkin holder.
    “See you later, Orion! Tell your mother I said hi!”
    I gave her a wave and we headed outside. After I shoved the whole pancake in my mouth, I checked my phone. There were ten new texts from Darla Shayne, my girlfriend, starting late last night. I must not have heard the alerts, because we’d jacked up the volume on the game. We’d won our football game yesterday afternoon, and afterward I’d asked her to homecoming. (She said yes.) Then last night she’d wanted me to come over and hang out, but I’d already told Greg I’d hang with him. Darla had been really disappointed, so I already felt guilty for ditching her, and now I felt even guiltier for ignoring her.
    CAN’T WAIT FOR HOMECOMING!
    DID YOU GET A TUX YET?
    WHERE ARE YOU? CALLING UR HOUSE.
    UR MOM SAYS YOU’RE STILL AT GREG’S. CALLING UR CELL.
    Yep, sure enough, there was a missed call.
    GOING TO BED. WHERE R U??? CALL ME IN THE AM.
    Apparently, being an attentive boyfriend was not one of my special talents. I hit the call-back button as Greg led me over to a big blue pickup and got in. I put the phone against my shoulder and reached for the handle on the other door. It squealed like a pig when I opened it.
    “Guess I should oil that one,” Greg said with a laugh.
    “Orion!” Darla answered the phone as I slid onto the old vinyl bench seat of the truck. “I thought you were dead.”
    I laughed. Darla was dramatic like that. It was one of the things I liked about her. Everything was a huge deal with her. It made life exciting.
    “Sorry. I didn’t hear my phone,” I told her. “What are you doing today?”
    “Working! I have a shift at ten.”
    She sounded excited about it. Which she probably was. She loved helping people pick out clothes at the shop where she worked downtown. She also loved to get out of her house. She lived alone with her mom, this high-powered motivational speaker who was always traveling to give speeches to companies. Most people would love having that big house to themselves, with a housekeeper the only adult around, but Darla hated being alone.
    “We’re headed into town to go to Goddess. Do you want to meet me and grab coffee or something?”
    I slammed the door, and the engine rumbled to life.
    “Sure!” she said. “I’ll be there in twenty minutes.”
    “Cool.”
    I ended the call and sat back for the seriously bouncy ride in Greg’s